Last Saturday night some folks from my congregation and myself went to a meeting that promoted itself as a healing / prophetic gathering. It was lead by a man whose name is Kevin Dedmon. The event took place atNew Dimension Church in Providence RI. The reason we went is because one of our members was afflicted by a stroke and they wanted to go in hopes that God would heal them. We went to support our sister. I will say that I am very skeptical of such meetings as most of them turn out to be run by charlatans and scam artists. I was not disappointed this time. That is not to say that I do not believe that God can heal. It is not God who makes me skeptical it is men. Let me emphasize I believe that God heals today. I am however tired of the mockery that men make out of the gifts of God. Call me presumptuous but I took it upon myself after prayer, consulting the word, my elders and some of the folks who also came to write a letter to the Pastor of the church that hosted this false prophet. Below is the letter I wrote and also the warning I gave him from the scripture. Also included is his response to me. I know that this is not comfortable for some to read but when a false prophet arises what should be the response of the believers? We should expose them so that others will not fall prey to them, hence this letter. We take the scriptures very seriously and in them we are admonished to warn those who stray from the truth,Jam 5:19 My brethren, if any among you strays from the truth and one turns him back,Jam 5:20 let him know that he who turns a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.

This is definitely one area of Biblical practice that is lacking in the body of Messiah.Please, prayerfully read this letter before you respond in any way. Remember, you were not there, we were. In no way shape or form does this note exaggerate the events that took place.Shalom b’YeshuaRabbi HenryMy first note to the Pastor.

Dear Pastor Troy:

This is Messianic Rabbi Henry M. Morse. I was at your Saturday evening service with Kevin Dedmon. I came and brought some of the folks from my congregation. The woman in the wheel chair was with us as well. I am writing this note to you out of grave concern with what I saw there that night. I came with an open mind as I am also of the belief that God still does miracles today. But that night’s service was far from what I had hoped for or expected. Please indulge me a few minutes of your time to explain. My concerns are this. Mr. Dedmon made a mock of the word of God through his preaching and his antics. My first concern was his eisegesis of the word of God. He spoke from the passage in Ezekiel 47 and tried to make the point that this passage was in reference to the drinking in and leeking out of the spirit in our lives. That the water represented the spirit moving on us in revival. Now while this is true that God wants to move in us and revive us, this passage has nothing to do with that topic. He stopped at verse 12. Verse 13 gives us the context of the chapter. There is no need for interpretation it is all right there. This passage has to do with the restoration of Israel in the end days only. Chapter 48 continues in that theme. Needless to say your speaker was proof-texting to the max. I was very disturbed by the way he turned the entire service into a third rate comedy show. This showed contempt for the spirit of God. I have no problem with joy in the Lord but there is no Biblical mandate for the preaching of the word to be done so flippantly and out of context.

One of the folks from my congregation, the woman in the wheel chair came up to him for prayer. Her husband practically had to push the wheel chair in his face before he acknowledged her. When he did pray for her and nothing happened he dismissed her and told her to come back in a few minutes. When she did come back he ended the service as he saw her being wheeled down the isle. Again, her husband brought her to his sales table and sought prayer again. He, for the third time dismissed her with his cliche and verbiage "I release healing on you". and then moved on to the next item which was to sell books.

Where was his faith at that time to tarry in prayer and see a creative miracle from the Lord? I am sorry to say brother that what you brought to Providence was a false prophet. He made mention that Providence was going to be the place where revival would break forth into our country, I think he also said the world also. If this were so then why is it not stated in scripture. That was a huge statement of great earth shaking dimension. This is dangerous to presume that God has declared things of such a grandiose nature that are not found in the scripture. If a prophet says thus saith the Lord he better make sure that God said that. It seemed as if he thought he was the one who was going to usher in revival just because he said it.

We don't do anything on our own accord. I take the gift of prophecy very serious just as the word of God does. It is not to be made a mockery of through hyjincks and fast talk.

Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying falsehood in My name I have neither sent them nor commanded them nor spoken to them; they are prophesying to you a false vision, divination, futility and the deception of their own minds.Matthew 715"Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. 16"You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? 17"So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. 18"A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. 19")Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20"So then, you will know them by their fruits. 21"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. 22"Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23"And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'

Dear Pastor please if you have any regard for the truth of the Gospel and the word of God hear this warning from these scripture above. Don't be deceived by a false prophet who comes to make merchandise of the Gospel. I realize that this note is strong and I don't want to come off as the only who has discernment but the proof of his fruit was before your very eyes when he refused to receive the woman in the wheel chair. If you are interested in talking more about this I would be willing to meet with you in person and we can talk. My email israbbi@shaarhashamayim.org. My congregation’s website iswww.shaarhashamayim.org. My cell phone number is 508-944-7393. I am writing to you out of concern for another brother so please take this as such. Be thankful I care enough to do so.

I pray that you will grow in the wisdom and discernment of the LordYour brother in Messiah YeshuaRabbi Henry M. MorseMessianic Congregation Sha'ar HashamayimStoughton MA.

His response

Thanks Rabbi,

I am so glad our methods of ministry and interpretation of scripture don't have to be the same in order for us to be united by the foundational faith that Christ died so we may live. Every blessing to you.

In Christ,

Pastor Troy Goode

My last response to him.

Dear Pastor Troy:

This has absolutely nothing to do with methods in ministry. The issue is far greater. We are talking about a false prophet in your midst. It is up to you whether you want to deal with the issues I addressed. But don't think I am talking about methodology. I will address the issue with my congregation and those who went to your meeting. It is as I expected that you would obfuscate from the issue and not deal with it. My heart grieves for the body of Messiah in Providence as they are deceived by false teaching.

Author

Rabbi Henry Morse's ministry has taken him all over the world. He is an accomplished speaker, author, trained acrobat, and physical comedian. In addition to the active and growing congregation in Stoughton, MA, he and his wife Cherri helped launch a messianic congregation in Hilo Hawaii in 2011.